Below and Beyond
by Ayla.-.welcome.to.nowhereland
Summary: Artemis contructs a time machine to the future, and winds up in a polluted future earth. He must go below ground to survive. Will Holly accept him?


Author's note: This is not a romance fiction, even though it has Holly and Artemis. There are some thematic elements that would not be suited for young children, and that's why it got a K+. Thank you.

Prologue

Artemis Fowl sat in his study, drawing up plans. These were not plans of a criminal intent. Artemis planned to construct a time machine, to venture into the future and filch technology.

The plan was in its final stages. A few minor adjustments to the mechanism, to make the parts easier to acquire. The required items had already been stolen, bargained for, or collected.

Butler was busy transferring all the items to Holly Short's old cell. He had an armload of metal, and a welder. Master Artemis was apparently going to instruct him on exactly where to weld.

Artemis, however, was two steps ahead. He had written a computer program that would construct a virtual time machine on a screen in the cell, so Butler could see exactly what to do. And Artemis could plot some more.

It worked.

The time machine worked perfectly. Butler had built it in just a few weeks. Artemis had tested it, going back 3 hours and seeing himself in the cell, examining the time machine.

It worked.

Artemis, satisfied, set the dial for 100 years ahead. No Butler on this trip. Oh no. Artemis did not want to draw attention to himself; he wanted to be able to acquire blueprints to technology.

The boy stepped inside the machine, and closed the small door behind him. Artemis took a few deep breaths, closed his eyes, and whacked the 'go' button.

The experience was stomach-wrenching. Artemis lost consciousness, and slumped against the back wall. He had no idea where in time he was, nor was he going to suddenly wake up and look at the year-o-meter. And if he did, he would find he was exactly where he wanted to be.

100 years in the future.

After a few hours slumped, Artemis woke. He peeked out the small window, and saw something awful. Or rather didn't. The air was so laden with smog and pollution, Artemis couldn't see more than 3 feet away. And three feet away stood a three-foot-high figure, apparently testing the air for something.

The figure was clad in a thick, dull green material and a LEP helmet. The helmet was bigger and bulkier than Artemis remembered, most likely due to the additional air filter stuck on over the air-intake.

Artemis rapped on the reinforced glass window, trying to get the officer's attention. The figure looked up, and set down the instrument it was holding. It walked to the time machine and stuck something onto the glass.

"English. French. Spanish. German. Gnomish," the fairy said, alternating languages. The fairy had named the most common languages, plus Gnomish. The voice was tinny and metallic, so no doubt the fairy had stuck machinery on the window.

"English. I am Artemis-"

"Fowl. I'm Captain Holly Short, thank you very much," the fairy said.

"Hello, Captain," Artemis said simply. He kept his voice calm, even though his heart was beating faster than normal.

"I have to get you down to Haven. You are to hold your breath while I get you to a shuttle port," Holly said. She pulled the communicator off the window, and walked around to the door of the machine.

Holly did not open the door for about a half-minute, giving Artemis time to get his breath and hold it.

Artemis hit the door with the flat of his hand, signaling Holly to open the door. He had gotten as much air into his lugs as he could possibly hold.

Holly opened the door, and beckoned to Artemis to follow her. She ran off toward a small building with a sign saying 'Shuttle' cobbled from signs around it. Artemis followed, as fast as he could manage.

Artemis reached the door and dashed into the door Holly was holding open. The interior was seamless metal, with pure air. Holly closed the door, and pressed a button that said 'clear' in Gnomish. All the polluted scum-air was drained from the building, and Artemis breathed freely. She pushed him into a one man shuttle on a metal beam, that supposedly led to Haven.

"Tell the shuttle manager 157 Acorn Avenue," were Holly's last words to Artemis before he was zipped down the beam to Haven.


End file.
